PATTERN INDEX

• US 20090019038A1
• Filed: 09/16/2008
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Perfect Search Corporation
• Original Assignee: Perfect Search Corporation
• Inventors: Millett, Ronald P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,037,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/31 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures

Abstract

A pattern index can be created and used to searching for desired content in electronic databases. The pattern index can include a tuple pattern index containing separately identifiable and indexed tuple entries that are based on combinations of words within the electronic documents. The pattern index and other indexes can also be used in an incrementally graduating search to inherently apply order and priority to the search. Suggested terms and alternate terms, which are different than those that are provided by the user as part of a search request, can also be considered as part of the search and can be provided to the user for selection during the search to dynamically alter the scope of the search and to provide auto-complete functionality.

Claims

1. A method for performing a search for content in an electronic database using a tuple index with separately indexed tuple word combinations, the method comprising:

receiving a search request that includes one or more search terms;

identifying a tuple index that includes separately identifiable and indexed tuples that are based on combinations of words or terms within electronic content;

performing a search of at least the tuple index for one or more indexed entries corresponding to the search request; and

providing results of the performed search.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more search terms are received from a local computing system.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more search terms are received from a remote computing system.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

converting the one or more search terms into a tuple corresponding to a tuple index.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein converting the one or more search terms into the tuple comprises referencing at least one other index.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein said at least one other index is a partial word index that associates incomplete words with complete words.

7. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein said at least one other index is one of a dictionary, thesaurus and a phonetic word index.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein converting the one or more search terms into the tuple comprises converting the one or more search terms into a numeric representation of the one or more search terms.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more search terms are consecutive words in a string of words, with only stop words omitted from the string of words, the stop words being predefined by a stop word index.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the search is performed dynamically while search input is still being entered.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein dynamically performing the search includes performing keystroke analysis as input is being received.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein performing the search includes determining whether at least one of new search criteria, a new search term and a new index should be considered in a subsequent search.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein performing the search includes incrementally applying at least one of the new search criteria, new search term and new index to the subsequent search and prior to receiving any additional search terms from the user.

14. A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

providing results of the performed search dynamically while search input is being received.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the results comprise an auto-complete suggestion.

16. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the results comprise a suggested new term to use in the search request.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more search terms consist of one or more partial and incomplete words.

18. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein providing the results includes sorting the results according to a document reliability or document relevance measure associated with the tuples.

19. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic database is a structured electronic database.

20. A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions for implementing the method recited in claim 1.

21. A method for performing incrementally enhanced searching for content in one or more electronic databases, the method comprising:

receiving a search request that includes one or more search terms for which a search for content is to be performed;

identifying a plurality of different indexes that can be used to identify content in the one or more electronic database;

performing a search of at least one of the indexes for one or more indexed entries corresponding to the search request;

providing results of the performed search to the user; and

in response to either user input indicating a more enhanced search should be performed and automatic criteria, and without having to first receive additional search terms from the user, performing a subsequent search which includes at least one of accessing at least one new index or considering at least one new search term to identify one or more indexed entries corresponding to the search request.

22. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the one or more search terms are received from a local computing system.

23. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the one or more search terms are received from a remote computing system.

24. A method as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

converting the one or more search terms into a tuple corresponding to a tuple index.

25. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the plurality of different indexes includes at least a tuple index.

26. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein identifying a plurality of different indexes is based at least in part on first determining a context in which the search is to be performed.

27. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the different indexes include at least two indexes that reference some identical content in a different way.

28. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein at least one of the search and subsequent search are performed dynamically while search input is being received and prior to a user formally submitting a search request.

29. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the subsequent search considers a new search term without receiving the new search term from the user or as part of the search request.

30. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein the new search term is identified from one of the plurality of different indexes.

31. A method as recited in claim 30, wherein the new search term comprises a complete version of one or more of the search terms that is incomplete.

32. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein at least one of the search and the subsequent search are performed and corresponding subsequent results are provided without processing each document that is identified by the plurality of indexes and that is determined to contain the one or more search terms.

33. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the search results include references to electronic documents.

34. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the search results include references to portions of an electronic document.